BluesTruth wrote:> > In other words, they had a loss also (yes, their loss were the 2 evil> monsters) however, they might (or might not ) have loved their sons in their> own way. Should we as human beings be vengeful toward them forever or should> we rise about it --to show we are bigger than that? Should we forgive them> and open up our hearts to these 2 families? And another issue--are they> (Kleeboldt and Harris) victims too...at a different level??? After all, they> had a loss too, right? Do you think the 2 young men were victims because> their parents ignored them and didn't get the attention they so desperately> needed? Were these 2 children victimized by poor parenting? Do you think> this racism and hatred was taught in their home? Maybe not....but when they> saw their sons running in a bad crowd why did they do nothing to stop it?

Jill,

This armchair refereeing assumes you have intimate knowledge of how these
two boys--not monsters, no matter how monstrous their act--were raised.
By many accounts, they were raised in stable, middle class circumstances;
we on this list even heard from someone whose friend received
more-than-neighborly treatment from one of the families. We cannot and
should not assume these boys were raised neglectfully, nor that their
parents knew they were running with a "bad crowd." What's a "bad
crowd", anyway? People who dress differently? Listen to music we don't
like?

Again on this list, we've heard from members of our group who were raised
with all the advantages--including my siblings and me--yet still weren't
able to cope with adolescence in a positive manner. None of us have
admitted to murdering anyone because of it, but it goes to show parents
can't control all the circumstances of their children's lives.

Jill, I'm afraid you come across as the sort of superficially judgmental
type that creates society's disconnected outcasts in the first place.